Electric hand lantern with improved snap-on switch



Aug. 1, i967 A. H. Moowr.: TAL. 3,334,200

ELECTRIC HAND LANTERN WITH IMPROVED SNAP-ON SWITCH Filedeb. le, 196e United States Patent O This invention relates to a waterproof electric hand lantern and, more particularly, to such a lantern having a switch button of novel snap-on construction.

Various types of waterproof hand lantern-s have been proposed in the prior art. In most instances, these lanterns yare formed of a non-conductive plastic. This has created certain problems in switch construction as water must be prevented from seeping through the switch area into the body of the lantern. Various attempts have been made to provide suitable switches for waterproof lanterns. However, the proposals heretofore advanced have not been completely satisfactory, due in part to increased manufacturing expense and difficulties in assembling the switch button to the plastic body of the lantern. Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a waterproof hand lantern having improved switch construction. Another object is to provide such a construction wherein the switch button may be readily snapped into position during the final stages of assembly. Another object is to provide such a construction wherein the switch button is not easily removable after it has been snapped into position.

The manner in which the above and other objects of the invention are achieved will be apparent from the following description, the appended claims and the figures of the yattached drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is `a plan view, partially broken away, of a hand lantern constructed in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the hand lantern of FIG. 1,

partially in cross section to illustrate its internal construe tion;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross section taken substantially along the line 3-3 of FIG. l showing the switch button in the off position;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 showing the switch button in the on position; and

FI-G.5 is a cross section taken substantially along the line 5-5 of FIG. 3.

The objects of this invention Iare achieved by means of a hand lantern which includes a hollow body and a switch mounted thereon. An elongated guideway is formed by a portion of the body. First and second electrical contact means extend through the body and are positioned on an external surface of the guideway. A manually operable switch button is positioned in interlocking relationship with the guideway and is movable along the guideway between a first and a second position. The switch button further includes bridging contact means which are positioned so as to complete a circuit between the contact means when the switch button is in its first position and to break a circuit when the switch button is in its second position.

With particular reference to the drawings, there is illustrated'an electric hand lantern including a 'body 10 formed from a non-conductive plastic material such as polyethylene. The body is essentially tubular and is closed at its rear end. The forward end is` slightly belled and supports by the usual molded threads (not shown), a lens ring 14 and lens assembly. The lens ring supports within the belled portion a reector 16, a lamp holder 18, a lamp 20, and

a radially extending conductive flange 21. These elements are standard and are not illustrated in detail. However, it will be understood that the metal shell of lamp 20 makes electrical contact with the flange 21 while the base terminal 22 of lamp 20 is centrally positioned in the forward end of the cylindrical portion of the body 10. A pair of dry cells C1, C2 are housed within the body 10 in the usual series relationship with the central anode of dry cell C1 making contact with the base terminal 22 of the lamp. The base of cell C2 is engaged by a spring contact 24 which is formed at one end of an electrical conductor 26 which extends along the inner surface of the body 10.

The body 10 is formed with a hollow guideway 28 which extends from its upper surface. In plan view, as seen in FIG. 1, the guideway 28 is essentially rectangular and terminates at its right end in a tapered ramp 30 which slopes downwardly toward the tubular portion of body 10 as seen in FIG. 2. The forward end of the guideway 28 is subst-antially rectangular in cross section, as is the ramp 30. However, the central portion of the guideway includes inwardly sloped walls 32, 34 as is seen more clearly in FIG. 5. It will thus be seen that the sloping wall 32 terminates at 'a forward shoulder 32a (FIG. 1) and a rearward shoulder 32h. Similarly, the outer surface of sloping wall 34 terminates at a forward shoulder 34a and a rearward shoulder 34b.

The conductor 26 extends along the inner surface of the body 10, angling upwardly within the hollow ramp 30, and is secured at its forward end by means of a rivet 36 which extends through the flat upper surface of guideway 28. The exposed head 36a of rivet 36 forms one o the electrical switch contacts.

A forward conductor 38 is secured to the flat upper surface of guideway 28 by means of a rivet 40 which is spaced from rivet 36. The exposed head 40a of rivet 40 -forms a second switchingcontact. The forward end of the forward conductor 38 extends inwardly and downwardly to make spring contact against the conductive flange 21. It is to be understood that the rivets 36, 40 make a tight seal with the plastic material of the body 10` so as to prevent the passage of water around them.

The switch button 42 of the lantern of this invention lis formed of a relatively rigid, yet resilient, plastic material such as polypropylene. The switch button is generally rectangular as seen in the plan view of FIG. 1. 'I'he upper portion of the switch button is generally pyramidal--being formed with serrated thumb engaging surfaces 44. The underneath side of the switch button 42 defines a recess 46 within which is frictionally engaged the U- shaped central portion of a switching member 48. Switching member 48 includes a forwardly extending resilient contact arm 50 which is curved at its forward end to provide a downwardly extending spring catch 52. The switching member 48 further includes a rearward extension forming a rear contact arm 54 which is bent to form a downwardly projecting ridge forming a rear spring catch 56. The switch button 42 is molded with a pair of integral, inwardly and downwardly projecting side members 58, 60. The side members 58, 60 are formed with an inward set so that the distance between them would normally be less than the transverse dimensions of the guideway 28. Thus, when installed in the illustrated position, the side members bear against the sides of the guideway to form a frictional sliding tit. It will also be noted that the ends of the side members are positioned on the walls 32, 34 between the respective shoulders 3M, 32b and 3401, 3411. Thus, these shoulders form stops :limiting the forward and rearward movement of the switch button.

The extremely simple manner in which the switch button is installed is illustrated in FIG. l. As is apparent from this ligure, the switch button is merely slid over the tapered ramp 30 from the broken line position to the solid line position. The side members 58, 60` are forced outwardly by the increasing lateral dimension of the ramp until they have .passed the shoulders 32b, 34b. They thereup snap into the position illustrated in FIG. 5. The switch button is then rmly installed in position and can be removed only with difliculty.

The switching operation of the switch of the invention is illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4. FIG. 3 illustrates the off position. It will be noted that the spring catch 56 is behind the rivet head 36a so that inadvertent forward movement of the switch 4button is prevented. To close the switch and light the lantern, the switch button is pushed forward, the spring catch 56 riding up and over the rivet head 36a. Thereafter, the spring catch 52 engages the rivet head 40a completing the circuit and lighting the lantern. Additional forward movement of the switch button causes -spring catch 52 to ride up and over rivet head 40a, thereby latching the button in the forward, or closed, position.

It is believed that the many advantages of this invention will now be apparent to those skilled in the art. It will also be apparent that many variations and modifications may be made in the invention without departing from its spirit and scope. Accordingly, the foregoing description is to be construed as illustrative rather than limiting. This invention is limited only by the scope of the following claims.

What we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In an electric hand lantern having a switch mounted thereon, the improvement which comprises: a hollow body; an elongated imperforate guideway formed by a portion of said body; first and second electrical contact means extending through said body and positioned on an external 'surface -of said guideway; manually operable switch button means in interlocking relationship with said guideway and movable therealong between a first and a second position; and bridging contact means on said switch button means positioned to complete a circuit between said contact means when said switch button means is in its first position and to break said circuit when said button means is in its second position.

2. In an electric hand lantern having a switch mounted thereon, the improvement which comprises: a hollow body; an elongated guideway formed by a portion of said body and being a projection from the 'surface of said body, the width of said projection being greater along a plane spaced from said body than at its juncture therewith, said guideway including spaced sidewalls converging to their junction with said body surface; first and second electrical contact means extending through said body and positioned on an external surface of said guideway; manually operable switch button means in interlocking relationship with said guideway and movable therealong -between a first and a second position; and bridging contact means on said switch button means positioned to complete a circuit between said contact means when said switch button means is in its first position and to break said circuit when said switch button means is in its second position.

l3. The improvement `of claim 2 wherein said switch button means includes first and second spaced, depending, inwardly directed resilient side members slidably engaging the sidewalls of said guideway.

4. The improvement of claim 3 wherein each of said sidewalls includes spaced shoulders positioned to limit movement of said switch button beyond said first and second position.

5. The improvement of claim 2 wherein said guideway includes a ramp portion tapered inwardly and toward the surface of said body.

6. The improvement of claim 1'wherein said switch button means defines an internal recess and wherein said bridging contact means comprises a metallic strip engaged within said recess.

7. The improvement of claim 6 wherein said strip includes a resilient forward contact arm engageable with said first contact means and a resilient rearward contact arm engageable with said second contact means.

8. The improvement of claim 7 wherein said forward contact arm engages said first contact means when said lswitch `button means is in its first position but not in its second position and wherein said rearward contact arm engages said second contact when said switch button means is in either of its first and second positions.

9. The improvement of claim 8 wherein said forward contact arm defines a ridge forming a first spring catch engageable with said first contact to retain said switch button means in its first position.

10. The improvement of claim 9 wherein said rearward contact arm defines a ridge forming a second spring catch engageable with said second Contact t-o retain said switch button means in its second position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,458,460 6/ 1923 Arnoll 200-60 1,902,590 3/1933 Shannon 200-60 3,261,972 7/1966 Stahl 200-60 BERNARD A. GILHEANY, Primary Examiner.

H. E. SPRINGBORN, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN AN ELECTRIC HAND LANTERN HAVING A SWITCH MOUNTED THEREON, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISIES: A HOLLOW BODY; AN ELONGATED IMPERFORATE GUIDEWAY FORMED BY A PORTION OF SAID BODY; FIRST AND SECOND ELECTRICAL CONTACT MEANS EXTENDING THROUGH SAID BODY AND POSITIONED ON AN EXTERNAL SURFACE OF SAID GUIDEWAY; MANUALLY OPERABLE SWITCH BUTTON MEANS IN INTERLOCKING RELATIONSHIP WITH SAID GUIDEWAY AND MOVABLE THEREALONG BETWEEN A FIRST AND A SECOND POSITION; AND BRIDGING CONTACT MEANS ON SAID SWITCH BUTTON MEANS POSITIONED TO COMPLETE A CIRCUIT BETWEEN SAID CONTACT MEANS WHEN SAID SWITCH BUTTON MEANS IS IN ITS FIRST POSITION AND TO BREAK SAID CIRCUIT WHEN SAID BUTTON MEANS IS IN ITS SECOND POSITION. 